Posted Thursday January 17, 2013

                                                  By Mike Paradise

                                                                                             

                                       Looking Back

                           Sportsman’s 5/8’s Champions

  The glory days of harness racing at old Sportsman’s Park was when the track was a five-eighths oval.

  From 1949 through 1955 racing was contested on a half-mile track at the now demised Cicero, IL facility.

  It was extended to five-eighths for the 1956 meeting and remained that way through 1991 when it was converted to seven-eighths, with basically the same tight turns but a longer stretch, to accommodate the thoroughbreds.

  No one won more driving champions when Sportsman’s Park was a five-eighths oval than Dave Magee. The Green Bay native did it seven times –1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1980 and 1991.

  The only father-son team to win driving champions from 1956 through 1991 was Joe and Ron March.

  The Marsh’s combined for eight titles with four each. Joe did it in consecutive years, 1971 through 1974, while Ronnie in 1984 and 1985 and again in 1988 and in 1990.

  Below is the list of Sportsman’s Park Champion Drivers as a five-eighths oval:

Year    Driver                                     Wins

1956    Howard Beissinger                   45

1957    Howard Beissinger                   53

1958    Delmar Insko                          60

1959    Delmar Insko                          55

1960    Delmar Insko                          64

1961    Harry Burringht                       67

1962    Chris Boring                            52

1963    Robert Williams                       42

1964    Robert Farrington                    79

1965    Robert Farrington                    78

1966    Robert Farrington                   106     

1967    Robert Farrington                    83

1968    Jim Dennis                              66

1969    Robert Farrington                    69

1970    Robert Farrington                    90

1971    Joe Marsh, Jr.                         74

1972    Joe Marsh, Jr.                        116

1973    Joe Marsh, Jr.                        116

1974    Joe Marsh, Jr.                          83

1975    Walter Paisley                          63

1976    Daryl Busse                             85

1977    Walter Paisley                          81

1978    Walter Paisley                          91

1979    Walter Paisley                          70

1980    Daryl Busse                             73

1981    Dave Magee                            109

1982    Dave Magee                            137

1983    Dave Magee                            110

1984    Ron Marsh                              116

1985    Ron Marsh                              106

1986    Dave Magee                            107

1987    Dave Magee                            105

1988    Ron Marsh                              104

1989    Dave Magee                           130

1990    Ron Marsh                              169

1991    Dave Magee                           127

  To view Archived Notes and Quotes click here